Gerbera plant named ‘Garsmile’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘Garsmile’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets; upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance and relatively tolerant to cold temperatures.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ GARSMILE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Garsmile’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact garden Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences, resistant to cold temperatures and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination made during the spring of 2010 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 08T013, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 09T231, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the summer of 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the summer of 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Garsmile’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Garsmile’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Numerous inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray         florets.     -   4. Upright and strong scapes.     -   5. Good garden performance and relatively tolerant to cold         temperatures.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have orange-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have slightly larger inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have orange-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘Garsunny’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,886. Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Garsunny’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger discs (centers) than         plants of ‘Garsunny’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and ‘Garsunny’ differ slightly in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Garsunny’ have darker         yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratey describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Garsmile’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 16° C. and night temperatures averaged 10° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs were taken and 17 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘Garsmile’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 08T013, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 09T231, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and by tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to             26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennials that are typically grown             as container or garden plants; compact and uniformly             mounding plant habit, broadly upright and roughly globular             in shape; numerous leaves arranged in basal rosettes and             outwardly arching; dense and bushy habit; inflorescences             held above the foliar plane on erect and strong basal             scapes; low vigor to moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 14.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             37.4 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 36.3 cm -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 17.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate; runcinate;             slightly curved.         -   Apex.—Obtuse with a very small mucronulate apex.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely and irregularly angulate; sinuses             divergent; undulate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent along main vein.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Densely tomentose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             141A and 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B             to N137C; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to N144D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Moderately pubescent. Texture, lower             surface: Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary inflorescences             borne on upright and strong scapes and held above the foliar             plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three months             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from early spring to late summer; plants can             be flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about two to four weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about eleven open and developing inflorescences per plant at             one time.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             2.2 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 137C;             immature ray florets, close to 150C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.9 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.4 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.6 cm. Receptacle             height: About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 145D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 55 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Orientation:             About 55° from vertical. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About             8 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Finely emarginate to finely             praemorse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; slightly longitudinally             ridged. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; longitudinally ridged. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Slightly darker than 12A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 13B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             12A; color does not change with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 5A; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 400 massed at             center of receptacle. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About             2 mm. Shape: Tubular with upper two or three lobes free at             the apex. Apex: Obtuse; upper 20%, free. Base: Lower 80%,             fused. Margin, free lobes: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, prior to opening: Apex:             Close to 145C to 145D. Mid-section: Close to 13D. Base:             Close to 150D. Color, when opening: Apex: Close to 10C to             10D. Mid-section: Close to 10D. Base: Close to 150D. Color,             fully opened: Apex and mid-section: Close to 10D. Base:             Close to 150D.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: About 50. Length:             About 8 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture: Soft. Color:             Close to 162D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 60 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width (at base): About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Densely tomentose. Color, upper surface: Close to             145B; towards the apex, close to 144A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 137C.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 31.5 cm. Diameter: Proximally, about 5             mm; distally, about 4 mm. Angle: About 10° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Densely tomentose. Color:             Proximally, close to 144A slightly tinged with close to             N199A; distally, close to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             5 mm. Filament color: Close to 155D. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther color: Close             to 20A to 20B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             15A. Gynoecium (present only on ray florets): Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft.             Stigma color: Close to 13C. Style length: About 9.5 mm.             Style color: Close to 13D. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Gerbera. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of the new Gerbera     grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘Garsmile’ as illustrated and described. 